Effect　of　metal　nature　on　reductive　amination　was　investigated　with　biomass-based　furfural　as　a　typical　substrate.　Among　the　tested　heterogeneous　metal　catalysts,　cobalt　proved　to　be　the　most　effective　metal　for　the　synthesis　of　the　corresponding　primary　amine.　Under　a　relatively　mild　reaction　condition,　98.9　%　yield　of　furfurylamine　was　obtained　over　Raney　Co　and　it　can　be　reused　more　than　eight　times　without　a　significant　decrease　in　the　catalytic　performance.　By　extensively　studying　the　catalytic　pathways　and　reaction　mechanism,　it　is　found　that　the　selectivity　to　primary　amine　and　secondary　amine　was　governed　by　the　relative　rate　of　hydrogenolysis　and　hydrogenation　of　the　Schiff　base　intermediate.　The　superiority　of　Raney　Co　in　furfurylamine　synthesis　can　be　ascribed　to　its　high　efficiency　on　hydrogenolysis　of　the　Schiff　base　intermediate　and　its　low　performance　in　the　hydrogenation　of　the　Schiff　base,　carbonyl　group　and　furan　ring.　Furthermore,　ammonia　greatly　promoted　the　catalytic　hydrogenolysis　of　the　Schiff　base　intermediate　over　Raney　Co　without　clear　deactivation　of　the　metal　active　sites.